Will Iran play in World Cup? FIFA boss now says team is 'coming for sure'
FIFA President Gianni Infantino is confident Iran will take part in the 2026 World Cup despite geopolitical tensions putting the team's participation in doubt.
"The Iranian team is coming, for sure. Yes. We hope that by then of course the situation will be a peaceful situation. That would definitely help. But Iran has to come," Infantino said this week at the Invest in America Forum.
Iran earned its place in the tournament by topping its group in the third round of Asian qualification, the fourth consecutive time Team Melli has earned a place at the top tournament in the men's game.
But the U.S. and Israel's war on Iran, which started with airstrikes Feb. 28, has brought up questions about whether or not Iran will send its team - and if it will be welcomed into the U.S. if it does arrive.
Even before tensions escalated, there was speculation FIFA would route the team through co-host Mexico, but Iran was placed into the draw as normal and is scheduled to play a pair of games in SoFi Stadium in the Los Angeles area before meeting Egypt in Seattle. Mexican president Claudia Sheinbaum said this week that FIFA had denied a request from Iran to move its games to her country.
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Infantino has forged a friendship with U.S. President Donald Trump and joined him and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio at a UFC event Saturday. At the same time as the fights, negotiators from the U.S. and Iran were leaving the table in Pakistan without a deal to extend a two-week ceasefire put into place April 8.
"Sports should be outside of politics," said Infantino, who personally awarded Trump the first-ever FIFA Peace Prize in December. "Now, OK, we don’t live on the moon. We live on planet Earth. But if there is nobody else that believes in building bridges and keeping them, you know, intact and together - we are doing that."
Infantino consistently has expressed optimism that Iran will be allowed to enter the U.S. without issue and take part in the tournament, even as political leaders on both sides of the conflict have cast that idea into doubt. Trump posted on social media last month that "The Iran National Soccer Team is welcome to The World Cup ... But I really don’t believe it is appropriate that they be there, for their own life and safety."
Around the same time, Iran sports minister Ahmad Donyamali told state TV that, "considering that this corrupt regime has assassinated our leader, under no circumstances can we participate in the World Cup."
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Infantino visited the Iran team during its friendly matches in March. Those games took place in Turkey after being scheduled for Jordan but having to be moved because of the war.
It was a significant gesture from the FIFA president, who also attended World Cup qualification playoff matches in Mexico earlier during the international match window.
"They represent their people. They have qualified. The players want to play," he said. "I went to see them two weeks ago. They were having a taining camp in Antalya. I went to see them. They are actually quite a good team as well. They really want to play, and they should play."
Iranian sports media outlets reported this month that the team would play preparation matches in the U.S., including a game against Puerto Rico. That game, too, is in the air because of the political tensions, according to those reports.
Iran is scheduled to be based in Tucson, Arizona, starting their World Cup with a June 15 match against New Zealand before a June 21 tilt with Belgium.